Instead of delivering messages as free iMessages, the iPhone will occasionally send them as charged SMS Text Messages. Below are the instructions for setting up your iPhone to send iMessages rather than SMS Text Messages.
Make iPhone Send iMessage to iPhone Users
Messages sent from an iPhone are sent as free iMessages to users of Apple devices and as paid SMS Text Messages to users of Android phones.
Most of the time, this configuration works properly and enables iPhone users to send unlimited free iMessages to other Apple device owners.
Any of the following issues could be the cause of your iPhone sending paid SMS Text Messages to Apple Device users.
- The Recipient is no longer using an Apple Device
- Recipient has turned OFF iMessage
- Recipient s Phone is not connected to the Internet
- Apple Servers are having a problem
How to Check Whether iPhone is Sending iMessage or SMS Text Message
You can check to see if the message is travelling as an iMessage or a paid SMS Text Message even before it leaves your iPhone.
1. Start a new message by tapping the Compose icon in the Messages app.
2. Check the recipient’s name and the send button’s colour on the New Message screen.
You are sending a paid SMS text message if the Name and Send button is green. You are sending a free iMessage if the Name and Send buttons display in blue.
How to Make Sure iPhone Sends iMessage and Not SMS Text Message
You can use the procedures listed below to make sure that your iPhone only delivers iMessages to users of Apple devices if you discover that it is delivering paid SMS Messages to Apple device users.
1. Disable Send As SMS
To disable the Send As SMS option on your iPhone, follow the procedures listed below.
1. Go to Settings > Messages and turn the Send as SMS option to OFF.
When the Send as SMS option is off, the iPhone will no longer be able to send paid SMS Text Messages to Apple Device customers.
The benefit of this setting is that it will not prevent you from sending and receiving SMS Text Messages from others who do not own Apple products.
You can still send paid SMS text messages to people with Android phones even if you disable the Send as SMS option.
2. Check Apple ID Email Address
Your Apple ID email address must be listed as the email address where you can be reached on your iPhone in order to send iMessages.
1. Choose Send & Receive under Settings > Messages.
2.On the following screen, check to see that the You Can be Reached By iMessage At section includes your Apple ID email address.
3. Send Message to Email Address and Not Phone Number
Make sure you are sending the message to the recipient’s email address and not to a phone number if you are still having trouble sending iMessages.
It is possible to be sure that your message will only be transmitted as an iMessage by doing this.
Verify that your recipient is still using an iPhone if you are still having trouble sending an iMessage.
4. Check Status of iMessage Service
Like any other service, Apple s iMessages service might face outages and issues.
You can check the system status for Apple services at this help website of Apple to be sure.